Lack of the Snack Shack

Throughout the entire 2013-14 school year, the snack shack in the student lounge has been non-existent. In addition, some students have noticed a lack of food supply at third lunch, and these issues have began to frustrate students at Duxbury High School.

The Act Relative to School Nutrition was passed on July 30, 2010, enforcing far more strict nutritional guidelines at public schools, compared to the past. Senior Johnny C. has very strong feelings toward the snack shack being closed. Johnny said, “I don’t really like it. I wish we had some soft serve ice cream. I believe we are old enough to make our own choices when it comes to our nutrition. I don’t think the government should be regulating what we eat.”

Many other students at DHS feel the same way as Johnny. Junior Becky M. said, “I’m really upset about it because if I want to put bad foods in my body it is my choice, not the government’s.”

State Representative Josh Cutler feels strongly about the nutritional guidelines at schools as well, but perhaps in a different fashion than the students. He said, “Some of the nutritional requirements and caloric limits I have seen are overly rigid and deserved to be revisited with a greater degree of common sense. Overall, though, I think this is the right idea and the direction we need to be headed in. I was not in the legislature at the time but I can tell you generally that I support the goals of this legislation. The statistics are alarming. Childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years. The health risks and health care costs associated with rising obesity levels are staggering and could have a major impact on the health of the nation, both in an economic and physical sense.”

Cutler added, “I can appreciate that students might be upset at the loss of some of their favorite snacks, but there’s nothing that says you can’t buy them before or after school (though hopefully they won’t!) This is about what is sold on school campus and what is in effect endorsed by our school officials and the public through the support of their tax dollars.”

Junior Jackie S. is on Representative’s Cutler side, she said, “I think it’s better. I think we are an obese country.”